In order to heighten a festive atmosphere, formed lighting fixtures made in specific shapes can be displayed. Embodiments of various formed light fixtures are described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,086,757, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Referring to FIG. 1, one embodiment of a conventional formed lighting fixture A is constructed with a frame 1 and a light source 2, in which the frame 1 can have a specific appearance and be comprised of a plurality of rods, while the light source 2 is a plurality of light bulbs that are spaced apart about the entire skeleton such that the frame 1 could serve as a lighting ornament. The frame 1 is also coated with a layer of cover material 3. In some embodiments of the prior art, the cover material 3 is a transparent refracting material that refracts the light emanating from the light source 2.
In the conventional formed lighting fixture A, the cover material 3 is a substantially flat layer that does not have a dimension of material extending outward from the surface of the cover material 3. Without the added dimension of material of the present invention, certain functional and decorative aspects of the lighting fixture are not present. For example, added dimensions of material on the outer surface of the lighting fixture A would allow refraction of light passing through the cover material 3, and would allow further decorative options to enhance the appearance of the formed lighting fixture A. Moreover, the added dimension of material may be electrostatically flocked to the cover material 3 in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. There are a variety of electrostatic flocking methods and devices available, such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,173,032, 2,174,328, 4,879,969, 4,905,627 and 5,108,777, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.